


Something just like this

by purplebass



Category: The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Future Fic, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:16:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27641972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplebass/pseuds/purplebass
Summary: Set 8 years after the events of Chain of Gold, in a future where Lucie and Jesse are together and alive.
Relationships: Jesse Blackthorn/Lucie Herondale, Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Kudos: 11
Collections: Blackdale





	Something just like this

**_London Institute, 1911_ **

Everything lain untouched in Lucie’s bedroom. Her old typing machine was still in the middle of the mahogany desk besides the window. It was right in front of a wooden chair with a big, soft pillow on it, as if it was waiting for someone to sit and start writing. There was a vase of fresh flowers on her nightstand, which replaced the old photo of Lucie with her parents and her brother on her 17th birthday. She remembered that day with utmost clarity. It was when everything changed and seemed compromised beyond repair. The weeks following her turning a little older were a mix of melancholy, confusion and pain. But at least, she could tell the story now.

“Lucie, dear,” said her mother Tessa, appearing at the door. “I thought you’d be here.”

She hadn’t heard her footsteps, lost in her reverie. “It’s comforting to see it’s still the same,” she confessed.

“Why would we change anything?” her mother asked, and Lucie just shrugged. “The fact that you no longer live here doesn’t mean that we’ll pack your things and offer this room to someone else.”

Lucie finally glanced at her mother. They looked like twins even more than in the past, but she was older than Tessa. She wouldn’t stop aging like her mom, and every time she thought about it, she remembered that someday, she would have to say goodbye for good to her. Not today, though.

She blinked twice to stop the tears from coming. It was becoming a habit lately. Lucie had always been romantic, easily moved to tears by the simplest gesture of love. And the choice of her parents not to put her items in a box and discard them somewhere, tug at her heartstrings.

“Thanks, mama,” said Lucie, and touched the necklace around her neck that she’d been wearing for years. It was comforting, and her mother grinned when she saw her do it. She could tell she wanted to tell her something because she opened her mouth for a moment, but she didn’t utter a word afterwards. “Where are they?”

Tessa caressed her daughter’s back and they started walking away from her room. “In the drawing room. You know your father. After dinner, he can’t help but sharing his stories with the guests. And since it’s you, I bet he’s going to talk more than usual.”

Lucie knew, of course. When she and James were little and someone came to visit, the children were asked to leave after a specific time. His father and mother would entertain the guests and offer them something to drink as they talked. Lucie was 24 now, and she was allowed to stay and to get a glass of wine herself, although she would decline tonight.

“Yes, I know fine well how he behaves when there are people around,” Lucie smiled, hoping that her father wasn’t annoying their guest.

“Oh, wait. I forgot something. I’m coming soon, you go. Okay?”

Lucie nodded and her mother left her. She was close to the drawing room, but she decided to take her time to reach the place, enjoying her walk in the hallways where she grew up. The door of that room was slightly ajar, and she wondered why, since she could hear laughter from outside. There was definitely someone inside, but they hadn’t left the door open.

“I agree, I agree! That book is not worth anyone’s time, son.” Lucie recognized her father’s voice. “Don’t you also believe that this writer is overrated?”

“If I were an editor, I would never publish this man’s work,” another voice replied, enthusiast. “That is not a good story. I enjoyed the other novel, but this one? Garbage.”

Lucie frowned. If they were talking about the book she thought they were discussing, she didn’t agree. No. On the other hand, she believed that was one of the best novels she’d read that year. But the person who was talking, who also happened to be her husband of four years, had already found a thousand way to criticize it. She snorted, because her father also agreed.

“I agree again,” Will said. “I agree with a lot of things you’ve said tonight. I appreciate that you are eloquent.”

Lucie grinned from outside the door. At least, there was that. But still, that book was nice.

“I just love books, sir,” the other man said, clearly humbled by the comment. “And talking about them.”

“You remind me of myself at your age,” her father laughed. “You could be my son. Wait, no. You are like a son,” Will said.

“Thanks, Mr. Herondale,” her husband said. “Likewise,” he responded, then cleared his throat. “I mean, you are not my father, but it would be as if you are indeed. Since I’ve never had one.”

“I told you to call me Will last time, didn’t I? Or you could call me father if you like.”

“Will would do, sir. I mean, Will is okay.”

As Lucie heard the exchange, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. She tried blinking, but it was useless. She loved her father; although he made her cry that night. Her mother, meanwhile, had just returned. Seeing Lucie wiping a tear on her cheek, she mouthed a _what’s wrong_ when she approached her. She just shook her head.

“When I courted Lucie’s mother…” Tessa heard Will saying, then she opened the door a little too hard and entered the room. “Tess. We were just wondering where you were. Are you alone?”

Lucie imagined that her mother turned towards the door to see that she hadn’t followed her. She might be asking herself the reason, but she didn’t say anything. “I believe she is refreshing herself. She’s coming when she’s done.”

She hoped that it wouldn’t be evident that she had just cried, and then she strolled in the room, wearing one of her best smiles. Her father was sitting in the middle of the sofa as she had imagined him. Next to him, sat her boy from the forest. The boy who wasn’t a boy anymore, but a man. And the husband. His eyes lit up when they met hers, and he grinned at her.

“Luce, I’m glad you’re here. We were just discussing about that book –“

She glanced at her mother, but didn’t reply. She just nodded. Her mother seemed to understand that something was troubling her. “Will, _cariad_ , I think Lucie wants to speak with her husband,” Tessa said abruptly, coming to her husband’s side and touching his shoulder. “Alone,” she emphasized, seeing that he didn’t move an inch.

“Then it means we’ll talk later or tomorrow,” Will concluded, standing up.

“They’ll still be here tomorrow morning, Will,” Tessa reminded him, and tried to push him out of the room as soon as she could, until they wished them goodnight and left them alone.

Before saying anything, Lucie closed the door. She’d rather have privacy, at least for tonight.

“Is there something wrong?” Jesse asked.

Lucie gazed up at her husband, who had stood up himself and was now holding her hands. He was worried, she could tell. “I have something to tell you, Jesse,” she began.

“Is it about the argument we had in the carriage about that book you loved but I didn’t?” he wondered.

She laughed. “No, it’s not that.”

“I’m glad, because you know how I feel about that author,” he grinned, slightly relieved.

“I heard you speak with my father earlier,” she continued, turning serious. “He called you son.”

There was gratitude in Jesse’s eyes. “I was surprised.”

“Why? Is it uncomfortable?”

“No, of course not,” he quickly answered. “It’s an honor to know that someone, who doesn’t even have blood ties with you, considers you like one of his kin.”

Lucie was happy because of this. When she and Jesse got engaged, she believed her father would be against their union. Her husband’s mother, after all, had done several bad deeds to her family. She thought Will hated Jesse just because he was his mother’s son, but he never did. On the other hand, he felt sorry for the guy, because he had to go through a lot of things… like death. Lucie wasn’t unaware that her parents loved Jesse like family, but she never heard one of them say out loud that they considered him like a son.

“What about the ones who have blood ties with you?” she asked abruptly.

“Lucie, what are you implying?”

“I have good news for you,” she sighed, trying to find the will to share the truth. “You’re also going to call someone son very soon, Jesse Blackthorn.”

“Are you expecting?” he asked excitedly. “No, are we expecting?”

Lucie grinned, and the waterworks started again. “Yes.”

He leaned in and kissed her out of joy until they were out of breath. “If eight years ago someone would have told me that I would not only be alive again, but also have a beautiful wife and soon a child, I wouldn’t believe them.”

“I’m glad things turned out for the best,” Lucie said. “Despite everything.”

And he nodded in agreement, knowing how much that statement was true.


End file.
